How to Creatively Write Your Unique College Essay

Admissions officers want to know about your experiences, but they also want to know how you present them. Remember—SHOW, don’t just TELL. An essay that is extremely well written will stand out from the competition, attracting the attention of admissions committee members.

You can utilize literary strategies to draw the reader in and hold their interest when writing a memorable essay. Writing techniques can be combined to create an original, vivid, and creative personal essay because they frequently complement one another. Don't go overboard, though; rather than attempting to use as many devices as possible, concentrate on utilizing a few of them well.

A montage or narrative essay style can benefit from using extended metaphors or symbolism to frame your argument.

Symbolism

Symbolism is the use of material things to represent abstract concepts. One key symbol that embodies the essay's theme may be used in your college essay. You can also purposefully adumbrate small symbols throughout your writing to convey concepts without outright saying them. The trick is to avoid clichés and instead employ unique, profound symbols.

For instance, if the theme of your essay is "family," your symbol could be a well-used copy of the Monopoly game from The Lord of the Rings. Share stories with this game to show your family's togetherness rather than saying, "The Lord of the Rings Monopoly game has brought my family happiness." Share stories with this game to demonstrate your family’s closeness, joy, and loyalty. You can weave this theme throughout your entire essay.

Intrigued? Keep reading…..

Storytelling Tips

Here are the best literary techniques for college essays to enhance your storytelling.

In medias res, right in the thick of things

Commencing in the center of the action is known as commencing in medias res, which is Latin meaning "into the middle of things." The addition of crucial elements then completes the plot. In medias res plunges the reader right into the action or thriller scenario, allowing them to understand the plot through their senses.

Example of in medias res

Though my muscles scream for rest, my mind is focused on my breathing. The girl running beside me is also struggling to tackle a steep hill on a cross-country course. I can see the crest of the hill just beyond my reach. Coach always said to “pump the gas” right at the top of the hill to psych your opponent out.

Flashback

Flashbacks, in contrast to a linear, chronological narrative, can be used to take your reader from the present to a significant previous event to help them better grasp your current personality, values, and ambitions.

Example of a flashback

As I step out of bed, the pain shoots through my foot and up my leg like it has done every morning since “the game.” That night, a defensive linebacker tackled me, his 212 pounds landing decidedly on my ankle. I heard the sound before I felt it. The next morning, I awoke to a new reality—one without football—announced by a stabbing sensation that would continue to haunt me every morning of this semester.

Imagery devices

To give your reader a fuller, clearer picture in their minds, you can employ both figurative and literal imagery throughout your essay.

Example of Imagery in a narrative essay (with use of metaphors)

My educational journey is a river. At times, it rushes forward into difficult-to-maneuver rapids that leave me overwhelmed and on edge. Other times, it approaches narrow passageways and blind bends that don’t allow me to see what lies beyond them. Sometimes, I’ve even unexpectedly flipped my kayak and struggled to find my way back in. Nevertheless, the beauty of the river is that no matter what happens along the way, I trust I’m moving in the right direction on a never-ending journey of learning and self-improvement.

Similes

Similes connect two unrelated objects, much like metaphors, but they also use the terms "as" or "like." In a simile, the words "like" or "as" put some gap between the items, whereas, in a metaphor, the two objects are considered the same.

Example of simile

My own secret island, where I may momentarily escape my problems, is playing the guitar.

Five Senses

Use descriptive language to illustrate your five senses so that readers may easily visualize your story in a vivid, visceral way. The use of sensory language can also express your interest in and familiarity with a subject.

Example of five senses

The blades of grass gently poked my bare calves as I lay on the freshly mown lawn I had just cut. The sun’s rays chased away my goosebumps and comforted my soul on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Hopefully, this gives you a place to start on how to make your essay memorable and stand out from the rest. Let Education Evolution know if we can help!

Courault, K. (2023, August 14). How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out | Tips & Examples. Scribbr.